


A Safe Place to Land

by Lou_ann



Category: The Rook (TV 2019)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-09-27 16:22:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20410732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lou_ann/pseuds/Lou_ann
Summary: Myfanwy Thomas and Gestalt spent their formative years in the secret training facility built by the Checquy: Glengrove. In this strange and unique place, the two characters deal with their powers, other EVA assets, and their relationship with each other.





	1. Before and After

_Before - 2004_

Myfanwy Thomas stared blankly at the wall. Her whole body has felt numb for some time but she doesn't know if it's from the sedatives she's been on or just herself. She pulled just enough energy to finally focus on the voice that's been speaking to her. 

"...Myfanwy? Myfanwy can you hear me?" 

She took a deep breath and looked up at the person speaking. The deep, smooth voice came from a handsome man in a three piece suit whose eyes looked back with intense concern. "Sorry...can you repeat that?" she asked, slightly shaking her head, as if she was trying to shake away some of her numbness.

"I am Pawn Conrad Grantchester. I work with the Checquy. I will be taking you to your new home tomorrow," he said softly. He gave her a charming smile. Myfanwy could tell he uses to get his way. It was perfect and calculating, a tool to be used as useful as a knife or hammer. If this was before the accident, she might've fallen for it but now she couldn't think about his smile or his voice. He was the first person to speak to her directly for some time (she had heard the word "quarantine" thrown around once or twice--a likely reason why her room went from being full of people milling about to what she thought to be a nurse dressed in a rubber hazmat suit taking care of her) but the last thing she wanted was to hear him. She reflexively looked away while her hands tightened into fists around her bed sheets.

"Where are my parents?" she asked sternly. The lights start to flicker. She vaguely remembers seeing her mother by her bedside, her face full of worry while repeatedly saying that everything will be all right and that it wasn't her fault. Searching deep in her foggy memories, she can picture her father in a hospital gown, dragging along his IV, holding her hand while she laid in bed. Then at some point she could see her parents arguing with a woman who had earlier introduced herself as Linda. Her parents' voices heated in anger that its unfamiliarity echoed in her head even days later. But now it's just the buzzing of the flickering lights and her heart racing out of her chest.

"I need you to take a deep breath, Myfanwy," Grantchester quickly replied after seeing the lights above his head. With one deep breath, she felt like she was being sedated again. She quickly assessed her arms--no IV attached anymore. So how is this happening? With each second, her heart slowed down and she noticed the lights stop flickering. "Your parents have agreed to release you to our custody to better help understand the changes happening to your body."

"I first got my period a few years ago; I think I'm good. I just want to go home." She leaned her head back and looked up at the ceiling. She was honestly tired of feeling tired that she didn't care that she just mentioned her period to a handsome stranger.

Grantchester let out a soft chuckle. "No, I'm not talking about puberty. Myfanwy, you have what we in the Checquy call an EVA or Extreme Variant Ability. This thing with the lights? It's all you." 

"What? Being able to make lightbulbs cause an epileptic fit on a person is an ability?"

"It's more complicated than that and I..._we_ are here to help you. Because of your ability, you will need to be housed in a school that can train you to control that EVA. I know it might not seem like it now, but this is the best thing for you and your family; and this is why your parents ultimately transferred your custody to us. Tomorrow I will escort you to the Glengrove Estate myself and see you settled in." She could hear the fake positivity in his voice. He'd be a good salesman if he wanted to, she decided. "However, for now, why don't you sleep? You'll need your rest for the morning."

She slid underneath her sheets and laid down once more just like she has been her entire hospital stay. "I want to go home..." she whispered up to the universe. With another deep breath, her heavy eyes pushed her down to sleep even if every bit of herself is screaming to get up and run.

_After - 2010_

_"Myfanwy? Myfanwy, can you hear me? I need you to breathe. I need you to take a deep breath." _

Myfanwy Thomas followed instructions. She inhaled behind her oxygen mask only to find that breath shaky. _"Breathe. Please, breathe," _ the voice kept asking. Her numb body felt separated from her surroundings. The voice she was hearing was clear but as hollow as an echo, her mind was as empty as a cave. _"Please, talk to me. Please let me know you're all right." _She looked down at her hands. Her left fingertips had traces of soot, just as if she had picked up a piece of charcoal. _No_, she thought. Her body instinctively tried coil into itself. With her left hand forming into a fist, her right tried to do the same only to be stopped by another holding it. Their palm on top of hers and both of their thumbs interlocked, she hadn't noticed their grasp until now. Her instinct to make a fist had squeezed this hand which squeezed back with assurance. 

Feeling with her physical body was slowly replacing all of the numbness that had been covering her. She followed the feeling from her hands, up her arms, to her neck, to her face. A warmth was becoming more apparent from her right cheek, wrapping to the right side of her head. She closed her eyes and leaned into the warmth. A thumb stroked her cheek gently. She took comfort from the warmth for a couple of seconds before inhaling the oxygen once more. Opening her eyes, she was greeted by a familiar pair of blue ones staring back at her. The blue eyes quickly went from worry to relief. 

"Hey! Hey...you're all right." The hand cradling her face moved to wipe her tears away. 

"Gestalt, I-" she tried to say. Myfanwy realized that it wasn't her breath that was shaking, it was her entire self. She took her oxygen mask off. "Gestalt, I-I-" Her attempts to form a sentence impaired by waves of thoughts coming in and out of her brain, and by the unfortunate fact that with each sound and syllable that escapes her mouth, threats of bursting into tears were trying to escape as well. 

"You're just in shock. I need you to stay here and wait for the medic to check you out." To hear Gestalt's voice be so soft and supportive was out of the ordinary for Myfanwy, but then again this wasn't an ordinary night.

Her head snapped out to look outside the ambulance she was sitting in. "SHE KILLED HER!" she heard. "THE ONLY GOOD PERSON IN THIS ENTIRE FUCKING PLACE AND SHE KILLED HER!" Myfanwy focused to see her friend some distance away being held back by another Gestalt body. The familiar hand guided her face back inside. 

"Don't listen to that. I need you to stay here." Worry creeped back to Gestalt's face though Myfanwy can tell that they're trying to fight it.

"Yes, Myfanwy. I need you to stay right here." Looking out again, the view of the field was now being blocked by a tall, lean woman. "Gestalt, please go help the other agents and yourselves make sure that everybody is okay and accounted for."

Gestalt and Myfanwy looked at each other. They reluctantly let each other's hands go and with their free hand, Gestalt wiped the sweat and soot from their forehead then pushing back their blond hair away from their face. Slowly they climbed out and walked away while Linda took their place, kneeling in front of Myfanwy.

"Linda, I-" 

"No. This isn't your fault." Linda glanced down Myfanwy's hands. Instinct took over once again and she sat on them, hiding them in shame, away from Linda's sight. The lump in her throat started growing again. 

"I'm so sorry," she said quietly. Uncontrollable tears started flowing down her cheeks while her breathing started to be ragged again. Linda replaced the oxygen mask on her face and jerked her head towards someone outside. 

"Now's not the time to talk about this, Myfanwy. A lot has happened tonight and you're in no condition to discuss any of it at this moment." A medic has walked up beside her and took her right arm. Wiping down a small area with alocohol, it was dawning on Myfanwy what Linda was trying to do. She looked at the syringe being filled with a sedative then being moved closer to the sterilized area. Her body was being taken over by the familiar feeling of synthetic calmness. Linda carefully helped her lie down on the gurney and whispered, "You need your rest. We'll talk in the morning." 

She could feel her eyelids getting heavy. Her gut told her to run away but a part of her was willing to succumb to the incoming sleep. _Maybe I'll wake up and it'll all be a dream. Maybe none of this is real_. From where her head laid she saw the brightness of the fire she caused. Her home for the past six years was burning to the ground. Glengrove was gone.


	2. The Perfect Space

_ 2004 _

The entire drive up north, Myfanwy considered her options. She could quickly take off her seatbelt, unlock the car door, roll out of the moving vehicle and try to make a break for it. She thought about trying to see if she could press up against the tinted window and shout for help to a family driving past. Maybe she could try to hit Grantchester in the head and knock him out, ensuring that she didn't have anyone following her when she made her escape. But no, that last option is the least likely. She noticed her skinny arms and legs, then looked at him; even with all her force she didn't think that she can punch him properly let alone knock him out. She went back and forth on her options, wriggling and writhing in the backseat of the car from the anxiety and energy building up in her body. Her hand lightly danced on the car door handle, unsure if it was the right moment or if it was the right course of action. Before she could make up her mind, the car stopped. 

As soon as her body jerked forward from the brakes, she jerked her head up. She realized that she never really looked outside the window the entire time. "We're here," Grantchester said. There's a sense of genuine cheeriness in his voice which for Myfanwy didn't necessarily make her feel better. As much as she had wanted to get out of the car just minutes before, her hand was frozen just at the thought of stepping outside. 

The sunlight suddenly blinded her. Grantchester had gotten out and opened up her door. "Come on, let's get you settled in," he said, hand reaching out to her. She took his hand and stepped out. Breathing in the open air felt good to her lungs especially after being held in quarantine for a long time. She noted the breeze going through the open fields around her, the slight noises the nearby lake was making, and the tall house they had parked in front of. She slightly cowered from seeing the intimidating structure: old and grand, it reminded her of the kind of houses that she would see in those BBC period dramas her mum liked to watch. _Well, maybe not as big as Mr. Darcy's house_, she thought. _But it's definitely bigger than my house._

As she approached closer to the house, she could see a short, round woman standing right at the door. "Pawn Grantchester! Welcome back to Glengrove house!" the woman exclaimed with a slight German accent. Her grey-black hair slicked back to a bun, Myfanwy could've sworn she raised her heels in excitement during every other syllable. The teen dug her thumbnail to the pad of her index finger. _You must be dreaming. This can't be fucking real._ "Ah! Yes! You must be Miss Muhfanvee Thomas, yes?" 

They shook hands. "It's actually pronounced 'Miffanee.' Like Tiffany," she quietly replied.

The woman shook her head in confusion. "It's Welsh, no? Isn't it pronounced Muhfanvee?" Myfanwy awkwardly shrugged her shoulders and raised her hands up to her head. 

With a very uncomfortable smile, she sputtered out, "I-uh, I-yeah, it's because...well, actually-"

"I'm sure with time we can all learn how to pronounce Ms. Thomas' name as she prefers it," Grantchester interrupted. Myf let out a sigh of relief. "Ms. Thomas, this is Pawn Steffi Blumen. She will be your matron here in Glengrove. Follow us, we'll show you to your dormitory." He flashed a smile to the both of them. With his arms open, he gestured towards inside the building. _Slick fucker._

She followed the two through to the main hallway. Her eyes wandered up and down, side to side, trying to get as much information with every step. Her attention slowly turned back to her guides. She let out a small chuckle. Blumen was comically much shorter than Granchester. Her legs moved twice as fast as his; in her periphery it almost seemed like she was a cartoon character.

Her loud whispering didn't help either. "Conrad, 'Meeffanee'?! Do you know how long it took me to learn how to say her name?! Welsh is not easy to learn!"

Hallways, thresholds, flights of stairs. Myf lost count of how many steps she's taken or how far she's walked. Every door she passed, she was tempted to stop and look in. She briefly looked at the oil paintings hanging from the walls, the portraits staring back at her.

"Here we are!" Blumen stopped in front of an open dormitory door with a tall, beautiful girl standing on the other side of it. Her hair was full of dark brown ringlets, her tan face beaming behind a pair of glasses. A smile grew on the girl's face as she took out her hand to shake Myf's. "Miss Thomas, this is Miss Rodgers: your new roommate."

The girl shook her hand excitedly. "Hi! Sarah! I'm Sarah. You must be Muhfan-"

"IT'S MEEFANEEEE! HER NAME IS MEEFANEEEE!" Myfanwy, Sarah, and Granchester jumped up in unison. All three looked at Blumen with wide eyes. The unexpected scream caused the woman to be short of breath making her place her hand on her chest as if attempting to contain her heart in its place.

"Erm...okay. 'Miffanee' is it? Nice to meet you." Sarah pulled her hand back and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. A small smile started to form on Myfanwy's face too. Her anxiety has started to wane and now she almost felt...excited? She questioned it briefly but just as quickly dismissed it; Blumen jumpstarted her heart, that's all.

"Well, then!" Grantchester cheerily exclaimed as he turned to Myfanwy. "I think it's time for you to get comfortable in your new home while I get comfortable checking out the kitchen. Steffi, do you mind showing me where Cook hides all the biscuits? I think I need something sweet before heading back." The handsome man shot her a wink before handing her a backpack and walking off with Blumen.

Any excitement Myfanwy felt had disappeared. The backpack was way too light. She sighed at the reminder of starting anew, nothing that was her own. She took remembered what was inside: a pair of sweatpants, a couple of spare shirts and underwear, a toothbrush, and a hairbrush. Sixteen years old, and her life has been reduced to bare necessities. 

"So...do you want to be closer to the window or the door?" Sarah asked. 

"Whichever one," she quietly replied. Her voice seemed so small and she felt small as well. She felt her shoulders round down and her gaze move away from her new roommate. "The window, I guess." She carefully placed her bag on the floor and carefully unpacked whatever little belongings she has. As she placed her hairbrush on the desk nearby, she noticed a small white envelope with her name written on it.

Sarah sat down on the edge of her bed. "We can go down to Provisions later and get you more stuff. It's not as fun as shopping on the high street but we can get you more clothes, shampoo...other things." 

"Sure. Sounds great." Myf forced a smile in her face. She opened the envelope and read, 

_"Miss Thomas,_

_Please report to the Training Field tomorrow morning at 0800 in full athletic kit._

_Pawn Lee"_

Out of nowhere, a yell came from the hallway. "I think the coast is clear!" Myfanwy turned around. The empty doorway suddenly had a head sticking in it. The head, which she identified as a girl's, with dark blonde hair and twinkly green eyes, had raised eyebrows that indicated a sense of mischief. "I heard her little feet shuffling away and then waited another minute to come in. Hey! You must be Not Muhfanvee." 

The girl shook her hand with a smile as she walked in the room. "Kate. Nice to meet you." Myfanwy smiled back, noting her London accent. The handshake was strong, as was the girl. Kate had the build of an athlete which made Myfanwy feel small in comparison with her waif-like body. 

"So...Myfanwy, you seem really nice and all but can I have Sarah back?" Kate blurted out. Sarah, having stood from the bed, quickly hit her with the back of her hand. "Oh! Right at the tit!" Kate sharply inhaled, and started rubbing her left breast for comfort while her face distorted from cringing. 

"Don't mind her. Kate's just having separation issues. We've been rooming together for the past couple of years so she's missing me already which is weird because I am literally _right next door._ Oh, stop whining!" Sarah rolled her eyes at her friend. 

"Oh come on, you know you want to move back! You haven't even gotten your stuff out yet!"

"I haven't had the chance!" Sarah's hand went flying towards Kate again but learning from last time, the blonde turned away from her and got hit in the back of the arm instead. "Besides, Farrier wanted me to be here for our new recruit. I am more than happy to fulfill the Queen's request."

This time, it was Kate rolling her eyes. Myfanwy felt her cheeks get red and hot. "Please, you don't have to stay here. You can move back if you'd like." The idea of causing a rift between two friends on top of everything else was overwhelming her. A lump started to form in her throat, and she felt herself trying to push down tears. 

Sarah took a few steps towards her and took her hand. Lightly rubbing her thumb against Myfanwy's knuckles, she quietly said, "Hey, don't you worry about it. Don't mind Kate, she's just being a pain. You're causing no trouble at all." Myfanwy started to feel the lump in her throat disappear. Slowly, she started to feel calm again if not slightly embarrassed. Her hand was squeezed reassuringly.

Kate sighed. "Maybe we can convince Farrier to have me move in with both of you? I just don't want to deal with--eugh--Eliza all the time." 

Sarah turned to her friend. "I'm sure she has a reason why she's got you in a room with Eliza. I heard Gestalt is being split up into different rooms now that they're moving back to Glengrove. Think of it as a chance to finally bond with your fellow trainees." Kate replied with a mocking face, her eyes looking up at the ceiling and her tongue sticking out jokingly. 

"Fine!" Kate said, seemingly giving up on the argument. "But can you at least start moving your junk outta my room? Last thing I need is for Gestalt to start complaining... Where do they want you tomorrow, Myfanwy?" Kate looked at the note in the girl's hand.

Myf looked at the note again. "it says here 'Training Field.'" Kate and Sarah looked at each other with eyes bulging, eyebrows raising, cheeks twitching. She could see that the other two are wordlessly having a conversation with each other. "...What is it?"

Kate turned back to her. "Myf, what's your EVA?" Myfanwy's face must've conveyed her confusion, because Kate quickly followed up her question. "Your EVA? Extreme Variant Ability? Your power?"

_Power. My power?_ Her eyes shook back and forth looking at the floor like she's searching for the answer. "Erm, I was told that I have an 'electrical force' that caused a few people to...uh, black out..." _They don't need to know that two of those people are my parents. _

"That is very cool!" Kate seemed delighted. "That means you'll end up in Ops Training with me! My EVA is impenetrable skin and super strong bones. I'm nearly-" she clicked her tongue, raising her eyebrow cheekily, "-indestructible." Myfanwy's eyes looked down to her hand, still massaging the breast that was hit earlier. "Yeah...nerve endings still work though, don't they? Pain's still something."

Myfanwy turned to Sarah, who reluctantly answered the question that didn't escape her lips. "Touch-based biological systematic mirroring." _What the-_

"She's an empath!" Kate squealed. "She can touch you--no matter how quickly, could even be a millisecond--and she can feel what you're feeling! Yeah and she's even working on being able to change people's feelings and all if she touches them long enough."

Sarah sighed, waiting for Myfanwy to figure it out. The excitedment from earlier, the calmness from when she almost broke down...it wasn't from her. "I'm still working on it. Sometimes I can influence people without meaning to. I know it's invasive so if you feel that it's an uncomfortable situation, I can just not..."

"It's fine."

Kate stepped closer to the two girls causing them to form a triangle. Nodding her head, she said, "This is awesome. Myfanwy...welcome to the Island of Misfit Toys."

***

Myfanwy, Sarah, and Kate spent the rest of the morning and afternoon together. At Provisions, the girls picked up Myfanwy's uniform and athletic kit, items for the bathroom, school materials, and even managed to grab some jeans and t-shirts as well ("For the weekend," Kate explained. "You might not be able to go leave school grounds for a while but at least you won't look like a loser."). 

On the way there and back, Sarah took to being her tour guide. She was spewing off facts and details for the different hallways they were walking in and rooms they were passing by. Myfanwy was quite enjoying it, it was almost like living in the museum. During the unofficial tour, in between learning the names of the Founders, she also learned that both girls are seventeen, with Kate coming over since she was ten, and Sarah at fourteen. While walking back to the dormitories, a tall boy with striking white-blond hair stopped them. 

"Your things are still in the room," he stoically said.

"Gestalt! Hi!" Sarah replied. "Yes, I apologize. I will get my things out as soon as possible. Tonight. I will get them out tonight."

A second voice came up from behind which caused Myfanwy to jump and squeak. "Good. Eliza can't move in if your your things are still there." Myf turned around to find another white-blond haired boy just as stoic as the first one. 

"Again, sorry," Sarah said to the second boy. "By the way, this is Myfanwy Thomas. She's new." Myfanwy nervously stuck out her hand. The second boy glared at her. She didn't know whether to force him to shake hands with her or just bring it back down with a whimper. 

Thankfully, Kate intervened. "Ugh! Whatever, Gestalt! Stop being a drama queen! Myfanwy, this is Alex-" Kate gestured to the second boy, then turned to the first, "-and this is Robert. They are Gestalt. Well, two of them."

"Erm, nice to meet you both," she quietly said. Her head went back and forth on the two boys. Both have the same expression on their face which felt...eerie. The two glared at her with intense judgment and their stares caused her to back into the wall. 

Both huffed. "Please get your things out by tonight," said Alex. He turned around and walked away. Kate shot both of her middle fingers up in the air. Robert walked past them.

"I saw that," he said. He followed Alex, stepping in unison as if they were in the army.

"Wasn't really hiding it." Kate let out a chuckle and then turned to Myf. "Don't mind them, they're a prick." 

An overwhelming sense of dread took over Myfanwy. _What have I gotten myself into?_

_ 2009 _

Gestalt looked around the flat and took note. Each of them had a slice of cake in their hand which they were actually looking forward to eating. Kate is opening up bottles of beer while Lucas was pouring wine into Sarah's cup. Myfanwy was methodically cleaning up all of the cake crumbs that were on the kitchen counter, wiping away like a maniac. They smiled at the sight of small frantic girl with a tea towel in hand. She was stopped eventually when Lucas forcibly snatched the towel and exchanged it with a glass of wine. Gestalt took note: friends, laughs, and even cake. They were happy. Happiness is rare for them.

Sarah sat down next to Alex on the living room floor. She placed her glass of wine on the coffee table and took a bite of chocolate cake, prompting Alex to eat his. "So..." she asked quietly, cleaning the cake remnants off of her spoon. She leans in and whispers, "How long have you been in love with Myfanwy?"

Alex nearly choked, and the rest of Gestalt twinged in response. _Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is taken from The Avett Brothers' song, The Perfect Space. I wanted to take inspiration from the lines where the singer is wanting to find a place to belong and to find friends who accept them for who they are.
> 
> Pronouns are important. But when you're a person with three male bodies and one female, it's also complicated. When talking about Gestalt as an entity, I will be using they/them but in regards to individual Gestalt bodies, I will be using he/she as it's appropriate.


	3. Dog Days Are Over

_ 2010 _

After a while, she gets a rhythm. One foot in front of the other, arms swinging by her side in a loose structure, her breathing goes in and out, in and out. She loves this part of her run--the part where everything just clicks. Her body goes into autopilot and starts to run on instinct. On certain days, her brain would be working into overdrive planning out her days and figuring out answers to dozens of questions; on other days, her mind would be a blank. Today was somewhere in between. 

Myfanwy took note of the structures around her and the small lake she was running alongside of. She took note of the smell of the fresh grass and the sharp cool air filling her lungs. She was going to miss it, as complicated of a relationship she has with the place. _Yeah, I'll miss it_, she thought with a bittersweet smile. Her heart was beating at a steady pace, her gut was settled nicely--she was content with her life. She had come to a place that she didn't think she was ever going to reach and much like the end of most of her runs, she had reached her destination without even realizing. 

Her feet slowed down as she moved closer to Glengrove House. Sarah waved at her from the back entrance and asked her to come in for breakfast; Kate walked over towards the building and yelled, "Stop showing off!"; Teddy turns off the car engine and gets out of the SUV along with Robert. They shoot her a smile which she returns; _I get to see those stupid faces more often again_. She pauses and looks up at a third floor window. She tries to hide a sly smile at the tall man looking down at her. _Yeah...happy. Being with Andrew makes me happy._

"Oi! Get your arse over here, future-Pawn Thomas! Some of us need to eat!" Kate yelled with all her might.

Myfawny laughed. "Well maybe if you didn't call me a show off, I'd get there faster!" she yelled back. She stole one more glance at Andrew and walked towards the house. _Yeah. Happy._

_ 2008 _

She kept repeating it over and over until it was a chant. _Take Bronwyn and run. Take Bronwyn and run. Take Bronwyn and run. _

She turned the car on familiar streets, on streets she hasn't been on for years. _Take Bronwyn and run. Take Bronwyn and run._

Once she saw that house--her house, she turned to the driveway and slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched and immediately she took off the seat belt and got out of the car. _Take Bronwyn and run._

She ran towards the gate and quickly climbed over it. The adrenaline was going through her veins has made her body instinctively run a course she hasn't done since she was sixteen. She ran to the back of the house, to a loose brick near the back door, and grabbed a key. _Take Bronwyn and run_. 

She shakily tried to get the key inside the lock, making tiny scratches on the metal. Once she unlocked and opened the door, she started running through the ground floor: the kitchen, the living room, her old bedroom. "BRONWYN! BRONWYN! IT'S MYFANWY!" No answer.

She ran upstairs. She opened her parent's bedroom and there was no one. "BRONWYN!" she kept crying out. The same happened when she entered the guest room and the bathroom: silence. She ran back down and that's when she noticed the cloth draped over the furniture, meant to protect them for the future. Myfanwy kept turning and turning to see her home being haphazardly preserved. 

"Myfanwy?" She turned her head towards the voice. Eliza approached her slowly with hands raised and palms facing towards her. "Myfanwy, it's time to go."

"Where is she? Where's my sister?" she cried out. Her breath was deepening with every second since she's stopped running. 

"She's not here, Myf. She's gone." Eliza calmly walked towards her and proceeded to wrap her arms around her. "I'm sorry but she's gone."

"No! No! I have to get her!" She tried to run away but Eliza stood her ground. Her arms are tight around her torso and her head on Myfanwy's shoulder. "Let me go, Gestalt!"

"I can't." Eliza's voice vibrated through her shoulder and traveled to her chest which then went down into her limbs. The adrenaline ran out and suddenly her arms stopped fighting and her legs stopped trying. Myf's body collapsed on the floor taking her friend down with her, the weight of her grief suddenly coming down like a boulder. 

A loud guttural cry came out from deep inside. "Aggggghhhhh!" was all that could be heard reverberating through the house. In that moment, with Eliza holding Myfanwy tight, there was no past nor future, no thoughts nor sense that can match what was happening; there was only the present and emotion. On the floor of her childhood house, Myfanwy wailed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title came from Florence + the Machine's Dog Days Are Over. The song is about a person suddenly finding happiness out of nowhere. The lyrics also have a visual of the person running away, particularly running "for" their parents, siblings, and children. By running for their family, they're also running away from inevitable change by grasping at the idea of their old life.


	4. Young and Dangerous

_ 2004 _

Surprisingly, Myfanwy had a really good night's sleep. By the end of her first day she had been toured around most of Glengrove House and also helped move some of Sarah's belongings from her old room with Kate to her new room. She met the third Gestalt, Eliza as they were shifting Sarah's things. Eliza was a smaller framed girl with a soft face, clear blue eyes, white-blonde hair, and eerily enough, the same glare her brothers gave her earlier on in the day.

The alarm went off at 7 AM. For a brief moment looked at the bed opposite hers and thought it was her sister. Her eyes focused after a few blinks and saw Sarah still sleeping soundly. Myfanwy got up from bed, took in a deep breath and started to get ready. She put on her kit, which for the brisk morning air consisted of black sweatpants, a heather grey shirt, and a black hoodie, all of which had a geometric symbol embroidered on it. She stepped out to the hallway as she put her long hair in a ponytail. 

"You ready?" Kate asked through a big yawn. Myfanwy nervously nodded her head. The girls walked over to an athletic field, with a few people similarly dressed like them on it. Kate started to stretch, yawning throughout, which prompted Myf to do the same. As 8 AM drew closer, she saw four figures walking in unison towards the field--the Gestalts. She couldn't help but stare; all four were different in subtle ways but are also exactly the same. 

Kate leaned towards her and whispered, "If you're wondering, I've already asked." Myf turned her head towards her friend and raised a questioning eyebrow. "They're not albino. Apparently that's not an EVA, it's just..." she let out a sigh, "...a lack of pigment." Myfanwy let out a small laugh but stopped as she saw a tall figure approach them. 

"Good morning, Miss Thomas, Miss Fairchild. Miss Thomas, I am Pawn Erik Lee," the man shook her hand. The man was very tall, athletic, and handsome; he had dark hair, high cheekbones, and a sharp, square jaw. Myfanwy could feel her cheeks flush as their hands touched and she briefly started to question her own looks. _Why is everyone so good looking? This seems impossible._ "This is your Initial Assessment. Don't worry, we'll be sure not to kill you. We'll start off with some warm ups then get on with the assessment exercise, all right?" She nodded her head. "All right, everyone!" he shouted out to the field, "Line up!" 

Everyone on the field ran and lined up in a single line. Lee motioned to Myfanwy, and she walked over and stood next to him. He started talking to the group, about eight people including Kate and Gestalt. She got distracted when she saw two people taking seats on the benches at the side of the field. One of them she recognized as Linda while the other--a man with dark shoulder-length hair pulled back, round sunglasses, wearing a navy suit with a bright green ascot--was someone she's never seen before. Her gaze at them was interrupted with Lee's "Let's get started!" 

She joined the group, all of its members spread apart and started doing mild exercises with them. Her eyes kept wandering towards the couple on the bench, both with cups of tea in hand, whispering to each other occasionally pointing to different people. A tall, lanky boy noticed her stares and came closer to her. "A visit from the King and Queen. You must be pretty special then." She looked up at the boy, whose Scottish accent came through from a charming smile. "The name's Lucas." 

Kate jogged over. "Oi, Munro, back off. She's _my_ friend." 

"Ha! Whatever you say, Kate. Nice to meet you, Myfanwy." He shot her a wink and jogged over a few feet away. 

Lee blew a whistle. "All right, everyone! Everyone except for Miss Thomas, come over here for your assignments! Miss Thomas, please go over to the center of the field, we will begin shortly." She walked over to the middle of the pitch while everybody else huddled together. The King and the Queen straightened themselves out, as if making sure to pay attention to a show that's about to start. That got her heart beating, as if she's getting performance anxiety. The huddled dispersed and as soon as those people spread out into a circle around her, Lee blew the whistle again. 

A football hit Myfanwy on the arm. "Ow!" She looked over to where the ball came from and saw Lucas shrugging with another ball in his hand. He threw the second ball which hit her again. By the third, she instinctively kicked it right back at him. Lee looked over to Kate and a few others, all of which nodded their heads in acknowledgment. She locked eyes with Kate who mouthed one word: run._ Run? Oh shit, run! _The group walked towards her, her legs started moving. Their pace increased, so did hers. She ran as warned, her body moving aimlessly on the grass, her head looking back at the people chasing her. "Oof!" Suddenly, she was on the ground. 

She looked up and saw one of the Gestalts trying to pin her down. This one looked like Alex but his hair was slicked back. "No!" she cried, wriggling out from underneath him. Within a few seconds, she managed to free herself and kept running. The three other Gestalts are running towards her; in her decision to run in another direction, she tripped. The sky went underneath her feet and her head hit the ground. She forced herself up to stand. Slightly dizzy, she could see all four Gestalts running towards her. Her breath started getting shallow and her body tensed up--her hands formed into something like claws, her neck threw her head back. Suddenly, everything went black. 

When she came to, she found herself on the ground again. Slowly sitting up, she saw that the Gestalts were doing the same. Confused, Myfanwy looked around the field. She saw Kate who seemed like she was...clapping?

"Oh! My! God! Did you see that?! That was fucking amazing!" she cheered, still clapping. "Fucking brilliant!" 

"Miss Fairchild!" Lee yelled. "Please mind your language!" 

"Sorry! Whoo, Myf!" Kate started jumping up and down from joy. 

Lee knelt down beside her. "Miss Thomas, are you all right?" He put his hand out and helped her up. She let out a soft yes and started dusting herself off. "I think we're done for today. Good job."

Kate jogged towards her. "Oh my god, mate! What the fuck was that?! That was mental!" she greeted Myfanwy with a huge smile on her face. "Absolutely mental. Are you okay, though?"

Myf was trying to get her breathing normal again. "Honestly, I want a smoke." 

"Well, I can't promise a fag but I can promise some bacon sandwiches soon." Kate put her arm around Myfanwy's shoulder and started to guide her off the field. "How's that sound? Bacon sandwiches, maybe some eggs, potatoes... Nothing like a bit of exercise to work up an appetite." 

Myfanwy glanced over to the benches and found them empty. Searching through the field, she couldn't spot the so-called King and Queen from earlier. They passed the Gestalts, who all looked like a combination of annoyed and angry. 

"Annoyed she got past you, Teddy?" Kate asked mockingly. The two girls stopped momentarily. 

The boy scoffed, "She got lucky this time, she won't be so lucky the next." 

"I have a feeling her power-" Robert said.

"-won't be her saving grace in every situation," Eliza continued.

"In fact, I have a feeling that I'll be spending my career saving Myfanwy Thomas over and over again," Alex smugly said. All four turned around and started to walk away in step.

"Well," Kate replied, "you can just go fuck yourself." She and Myfanwy started walking again. 

Kate stopped and started making vomiting noises. "Actually, I take that back! Don't EVER do that." Her gagging continued and she put her hands on her knees, "Oh man, I hope I don't lose my appetite." She took a deep breath for a couple of seconds and stood up straight. "Nope, I think I'm good. Let's go get some breakfast, I'll just wash my eyes out with bleach later." 

Walking together, the pair went towards Glengrove House. "I still wish I could have a smoke," Myf wistfully said under her breath. "Maybe I can get a moment and figure out what the fuck just happened."

***

Sarah was waiting for them by the entrance with a huge smile. She looked at Kate and scrunched her nose, "Good day at work, darling?" 

Kate skipped towards the brunette and hooked her arm around hers. "Oh, I had a lovely time, dear. I even brought a new coworker back for supper." She stuck her hand out towards Myfanwy and made an open-and-close motion which didn't stop until Myf grabbed it. "I promised her the best bacon sandwiches in all of England. Dear, let's not disappoint her."

The three girls entered the cafeteria. Myfanwy took a pause at the doorway and saw a large busy room filled with people of different ages dressed in either variations of the Glengrove uniform. She didn't get a long look, however, because she quickly got jerked forward by Kate's grip, launching her towards the line for food. She mimicked her new friends' actions, and quietly followed them to a table. 

As they were sitting down, Sarah asked, "How was it?" Myfanwy tried to find the right words to answer. 

"She was absolutely brilliant! Knocked Gestalt right on their asses!" Kate interjected, mouth full of eggs. 

"Oh really?" Sarah cheekily replied. She took a sip out of her tea and raised an eyebrow. Her gaze then went past Myf and followed a figure from behind her. "What do you think, Lucas? How do you think our newest trainee did this morning?"

Lucas set his tray next to Sarah's and sat next to her. "For once, Kate is right--she was brilliant. She really gave us a run for our money." He gave Sarah a small nudge and a smile; she met his eyes and looked away while taking another sip of tea. 

Myfanwy worked up the courage to finally join the coversation. "I don't know. I feel like I'm going to be sore from all those footballs you threw at me. But..._why_ did you throw footballs at me?'

The boy laughed and shrugged. "Because arrows and bullets would've killed you." Myf's jaw hung low. Lucas leaned towards her after seeing her reaction and quietly said, "Perfect aim. I never miss." He shot her another wink and took a bit out of his sandwich. 

"So does everyone here have powers? Or 'EVA's' I guess?" Myfanwy took a look around all the uniformed people around her. She noticed children as young as ten while some as old as middle aged. 

Kate swallowed her food. "The trainees? Yes," she explained while waving her sandwich around the air. "But not everyone who works here has powers. Glengrove is like a training facility which also serves as a school for all the younger kids. It's like a shit version of Hogwarts." 

"So someone like Pawn Lee was recruited from the army after being involved in a Checquy operation," Sarah continued. "But has no powers himself. But someone like Blumen..." she taps her nose, "I'd be careful if you'd dare drink a pint. She could literally smell it on you and anything else you've eaten." 

"A bloody bloodhound!" Kate exclaimed, her mouth full again. 

Myfanwy looked out and saw the Gestalts sat across the room. Even with a cafeteria full of people milling about, they still caught Myfanwy's attention. All four sat facing each other in a table by themselves, not looking each other in the eye, no words spoken. She squinted her eyes and focused on them, studying their moves--she could tell that each movement made was carefully thought out. 

A navy cardigan suddenly blocked her view. "Miss Thomas?" She looked up to see Pawn Blumen standing in front of her. "The King and the Queen would like to speak to you." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title comes from The Struts' album of the same name, which itself is a line from a couple of songs included in said album.
> 
> *Added a new part to this chapter after initially publishing it because the cafeteria scene didn't fit as well with the other chapter I was trying to write. Oopsies.*


	5. Stuck

_2004_

The door opened to a grand sitting room. Antique furniture made out of dark wood scattered along the room whose walls were adorned with pale blue wallpaper detailed with a delicate pattern, and old paintings of people who had lived centuries before. On the chaise sat Linda Farrier wearing a cream colored blouse and black pants, her long brown hair was pushed all to drape over her right shoulder. At the sound of the creak of the door, she sets her tea down and stands up. "Myfanwy, so nice to see you again. Steffy, thank you so much for bringing her here." She nods to the Pawn with a smile, quickly dismissing her. With an open palm, she points to a chair for her to sit in.

Myf nervously pulls her hoodie sleeves over her hands while she sat down. She politely declines a cup of tea and clears her throat. The last time the two of them were alone in a room together, the woman was explaining about how she was going straight from quarantine to a new home, about how she worked for a government agency, and about how she could help her. Fists formed around her sleeves and her pulse quickened. _Do it. Just ask._

"Myfanwy, I just wanted to tell you how wonderful you performed today. Your actions on the pitch today helped solidify why you belong here in Glengrove House," Linda said with a smile. "You have so much potential, and Henry and I believe you can be a great asset to the Checquy in the future." She picked up her tea cup and took a sip. "How are you settling in?"

The girl started to rub her lap from her knees to her hips with her covered fists. The anxiety was building up in her and the words came out of her mouth barely audible. "When do I get to go home?" Myfanwy asked. She forced herself to look at Linda in the eye as she asked the question. The woman looked right back at her with intent, and sighed. 

"I'm afraid it's not anytime soon." Linda took another sip of tea. 

"And why not?"

"Myfanwy, the agency that this facility is connected with...it's hidden from the rest of the world. We help out people like you hone and control your abilities in order to not only be of help to your country, but to be someone who could be safe around themselves and the rest of the population."

Myfanwy scoffed. "So am I supposed to be a prisoner here? Am I confined to these grounds forever?"

Linda let out a small laugh. "No, of course not. Within a few weeks, you should be approved to go out to go to the village while chaperoned, and you would be expected to go to the training grounds in Scotland and to our headquarters in London. There's a certain level of independence we grant and expect from our trainees during their time here. Think of it as a version of university."

"And what if I run away?" Her temper was getting shorter with every second. Without knowing it, she suddenly decided to push every button she can.

Linda took a deep breath, set her cup down, and inched closer to Myfanwy. She folded her hands together and looked at her with intent again, "Myf, do you remember how many people you affected with your EVA?" The girl pursed her lips and shook her head. "You knocked out both of your parents and a couple of medics. Your friends were panicked and your little sister was scared. We can make sure that that kind of incident will never happen again. Your parents understood this--we are here to help you above everything else." She took a deep breath. "That is why they signed over parental rights to the estate and why you're here."

_No. No, that can't be true_. Myf's arms tensed up and her hands moved on her lap at a faster pace. Her eyes started to look around the room, as if she's searching for answers on the walls. "So am I not to see them ever again?"

Linda took Myf's manic hands into hers and squeezed them. "They agreed to five years. I promise, you can see your family again in five years." She leaned her head in and slowly repeated the words, "_Five years._"

Myfanwy quickly retrieved her hands and jolted up from her seat, starting to pace back and forth. Her brain started to work furiously, parts of it trying to work out the logic of her parents letting her go to a strange new place without even saying goodbye, other parts formulating a plan to find a way back home, while some falling into a realization that her new ability might end up harming another person. After every few steps she would do a crude about-face and repeat, biting her lips while deep in thought, ignoring Linda's request to sit back down. This went on for a couple of minutes, each thought much like an aptly-named train racing each other towards a common terminal, unknown by even its thinker which would be the winning idea. Everything came to a screeching halt by the loud crack of the door opening suddenly.

"They say there's nothing like coming home!" exclaimed the entrant, which Myf recognized as the man in the fabulous ascot from this morning or as Luke had called him: King. The man twirled on the spot he was standing in with open arms then started making his way towards her like a large colorful bird. He embraced her (out of confusion and surprise, her arms instinctively folded themselves with her forearms coming in between her chest and his) and said, "You must be Myfanwy Thomas, our latest victim!" Her eyes widened as he went from hugging her to clutching her by the shoulders, "I'm only joking!" He lightly touched the tip of her nose then let out a laugh. "We don't have victims here, Thomas! We only have warriors! And you, my beautiful little dove, are our newest one! Come, sit!"

Any thought that was running through her head has disappeared. She sat back down, eyes still wide and now her mouth slightly agape. She watched the man excitedly pour himself a cup of tea, carefully open up his jacket, and take a seat. She quickly assessed the rest of his look: soft, wavy hair which looks to be perfectly maintained, a very well tailored navy suit that he wears like it's a second skin, a soft-sheened green silk ascot, a couple of rings in each hand with the right pinky adorning a signet ring with her uniform's symbol engraved on it, and navy suede brogues, matching his suit. He does a little dance as he drinks his tea in one go. _Is this what people mean when they say that someone is 'eccentric?'_

"Ah! I apologize, these morning training exercises are always so _early. _I barely have enough time to get myself ready for these types of mornings that I almost always skip breakfast. But then again, if I had chosen to have my tea earlier today, I would've missed your big show, Ms. Thomas. That was quite impressive," he said with an eyebrow raising as high as it can go.

"Yes, Henry, I have already expressed how excited we are to have Thomas here train in Glengrove," Linda said. "Unfortunately, I've had to break the news to her that it would be some time before she would be safe enough to see her family again." 

"Oh yes. Five years, if I recall correctly, yes?" Linda nodded her head in confirmation. "Don't you worry, little dove. The time will fly right by and in five years, not only would you be reunited with your family as a functioning member of society, but a true hero for the kingdom. I know you will make us and the Queen proud." He flashes her a smile, and she realizes how youthful he seems, even seemingly younger than Linda. He gets up, and presents both of his hands in front of her. She takes his hands and stands up; he wraps his left arm around her shoulders and starts to guide her away from the seating area. 

"Between you and me, I think you'd find your kind around here in Glengrove. You can form a new family, one that can understand you," he whispered. "One that isn't _scared_ of you." That word caught her attention: scared. _Is my family scared of me? _They both stop walking and he faces her, crouching down a bit to get to her eye level. "We will take care of you, Myfanwy. In every way possible." 

She nods. "Yes, erm, thank you, er..."

"Hmm?" He tilts his head slightly to the side. "Oh! Yes! The name's Sir Henry Wattleman though don't feel obligated to keep the Sir, I don't." He gestured to the door. "It's been an absolute pleasure to speak to you this morning, Myfanwy. I look forward to seeing you again." 

Wattleman opens the door. To her surprise, all four Gestalts were waiting on the other side of it. "Robert! Eliza! Theodore! Alexander! Come in! Come in!" 

Myfanwy turns and waves goodbye to Farrier, who reciprocates with a wave and a smile. Turning back, Myf made sure to avoid eye contact with all of the Gestalts as she made her way out of the room and they made their way in. She hears Wattleman exclaim, "Robert! All that black, I thought we discussed about adding some color!" as the door closed. 

Standing in the hall, she took a deep breath and replayed everything that had just happened in that room. _Five years. Five years?! But...if I almost killed them...maybe..._ Her eyes focused to her surroundings, the different paintings hanging from the walls, the occasional table with ornamentation--she was going to have to get used to it all. _Only four years and 364 days left._

_ 2008 _

The loud crack of the office door suddenly opening jerked Linda Farrier to attention. At the threshold stood Myfanwy Thomas in jeans and a dark blue jacket. Her face was red, and her breathing was deep and deliberate. In her right hand was a rolled-up newspaper which she noticed is being gripped very tightly. Linda had never seen her like this before--she was full of anger. 

"Five! Years!" Myfanwy yelled. "You promised me five years!" She raised the newspaper next to her face before throwing it in Linda's direction. "You promised that I could see them in five years and now I can't!" 

_Shit_. Linda saw this outcome happening when she first got word a week ago. The decision to not only break the news to Myfanwy a few days after the accident, but over the phone, was not one of the best ones she has made since taking the position of King. In fact, this may have been the worst to date. But then again, her soft spot for Myfanwy made her hesitant in seeing her heart broken; the decision to not be in the same room as her when she spoke to her about it made sure she definitely wasn't there to see it. 

"Myfanwy, I'm so sorry..." Linda said. She tried to communicate as much remorse as possible, but she knows that it's all empty at this point. This young woman is now an orphan. Alone. 

"Bullshit. You're not. If you were, you would've made sure I was there for their funeral." Myfanwy starts to slowly to walk towards her.

"I wish I could've let you go, but you have to understand that I couldn't," which was true, she thought. Her narrative has gotten complicated to the outside world. To have Myfanwy Thomas appear to her parents' funeral after four years' disappearance only to disappear again would make things more vulnerable for people looking into her past, which made it possible to find out more about the Checquy. 

Linda backs up a step each time Myf gets a step closer. Knowing the Checquy, she only need to bide her time... "I beg you, Myfanwy. Please, take a seat and we'll talk about this."

"And why should I listen to anything you say now? I made the mistake in listening to you a long time ago and now my parents are dead and I never got to say goodbye!" 

She's getting closer. "Myfanwy, please." 

"I trusted you, Farrier. And now...I don't know what to think of you." She could see the disgust forming in her face. Linda hated it. She had never been in this kind of situation, at least not like this. She cared too much this time. _If she were to use her powers on you, maybe you should just let it happen. The very least she can knock you out, at the worst she can kill you. No, don't fight it off; let her have this one thing. _"Fuck you, Farrier. I am cursed because of you." 

The lights start to flicker. Linda's muscles start to tense up, each fiber contracting into itself, pain starting her surge through her body. Her instinct to start using her diaphragm kicks in but even that was difficult. She tried to hold her breath, trying to muster up enough energy to even stand when suddenly it all stopped.

Teddy had knocked Myfanwy over and both were on the floor. Eliza quickly grabbed Linda and took her to the side to assess her. "I'm all right, I'm all right. Thank you." 

She watched as Teddy and Robert helped Myfanwy get up on her feet, trying to wriggle out of their grasp. She kept her distance as she kept watching Myfanwy go from rage to grief in the middle of her office floor. Linda knows that at this moment Myfanwy hated her, but maybe not as much as Linda hated herself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stuck is a song by The Aces. Pretty appropriate, if you ask me.


	6. Let Go

_ 2010 _

"Two minutes, I swear!" Sarah flashed Lucas a sweet smile, trying to stretch out the little time she had. She was running late or as Lucas kept reminding her, _they_ were running late. She shuffled some papers into a neat pile, stacked into a somewhat coherent order. She took out her nice pair of heels from under her desk and quickly swapped them out for the conservative flats she'd been wearing all day. Taking out a small mirror from a drawer, she swiped on a dark red lipstick and took her curly hair out of its bun. She took her fingers and quickly shook it, giving it some volume. She turned back to him and gave him another smile. "See? Ready." 

She saw that he couldn't help but smile back. He loved her and she could do nothing wrong...even if it meant drastically shaking up the schedule he'd prepared for date night. She hooked her arm around his and leaned into him. He kissed the top of her head, and breathed her in. "Yes," he said, slowly guiding her to the door. "Right on time."

She locked the door behind them and made their way down the corridor. The offices were a part of Glengrove that always felt so separate from the rest of the estate. By a certain time of the day, it gets empty and quiet, almost spooky. She usually takes this time to catch up on notes and her thoughts, decompressing before making her way back to her flat. Lucas knows this, and had told her the week before that he was planning on taking her out to dinner to take her out of the routine and, "just because." Partly she knows he needed it too, ever since he's taken on as a trainer in the same estate, they've spent less and less time just being with each other. 

When they turned the corner, they saw their friend furiously making her way down, going towards them. "Myfanwy?" Sarah asked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Bristol--is he here?" she asked, without breaking her stride. 

"Um, yeah. He should be in his office. What's going on?" Sarah hoped she would stop as soon as she was next to her but she kept going. Reflexively, she grabbed her hand and the two turned to each other. 

Sarah's blood pressure raised, her heart started beating faster, her breathing got shallower, her muscles tensed, and face started to feel flush. She felt small jolts of electricity travel from her spine to her fingers. Myfanwy was enraged, and Sarah recognized this from before. Before she could do anything, Myf jerked her hand back and made her way back down her path.

Lucas asked, "What's wrong with her?" His eyes met hers and she tried to apologize with a look; date night wasn't happening. 

"Sorry, my love. We have to go after her. This is bad." She took off her heels, took his hand and ran.

_ 2004 _

"Got any plans for today?" Sarah asked. Myfanwy looked up from her book and saw her roommate leaning against the wall. She was dressed in jeans and a tee, clearly ready to go spend her Saturday outside of the dormitory. 

Myf sheepishly pointed to her book. "I was just going to read...this." 

"Come on," Sarah replied, letting out a small laugh. "Just got word that you're cleared to leave the estate. Thought you'd want to go into the village with me." She smiled sweetly and raised her eyebrows. "Besides, you've been spending every single free minute you have here in our room since you got here a month ago. It's time to explore!" Myfanwy took a second and looked at Sarah's face--there's a determination behind that smile. She looked down at her book, then back up to Sarah. 

"Sure, why not?" she said, shrugging. Sarah walked over to her bed, grabbed one of her hands and pulled her up. She changed into some jeans as well as a large grey sweater; she slipped on a pair of white tennis shoes and pulled her long hair back into a messy bun. 

Once she was done changing, Sarah threw a watch at her. "Meet your chaperone," she said cheekily. Myf studied it the object: a black band with a square face. She pressed a button the side and the screen lit up to show the time. _My chaperone?_ She shot a look. Sarah shrugged, "Don't ask me exactly how it works but the second we step out of Glengrove, the Checquy is able to keep track of us." 

Myfanwy's confusion must have been all over her face because Sarah continued with, "They know when if you take it off, you know? And if you try to run--even after taking it off--they _will_ find you, and it won't be pretty. Believe me, Katie tried once years ago. Apparently it was _really involved_...a whole search party and all...not pretty." Myf nodded in acknowledgment and put it on. _So running away is not an option. Not if you want to take a risk in staying here longer._ Sarah put on hers and grabbed her denim jacket, opened up one of her dresser drawers where she fished out a couple of twenty pound notes and shoved it into her pocket. 

The two girls headed down towards the back of the house and took a bike each. They start pedaling out of the driveway past the house and the field, away from the lake. Myfanwy breathed the air in deep, and noticed the warmth of the sun on her back. She followed Sarah through the quiet streets, passing by rows of identical brick buildings along with people moving along their day. She noted a few familiar faces, ones that she have seen on staff at Glengrove, out going about their weekend with their spouses or their children. She smiled at the idea of it all: a normal English town on a Saturday.

They slowed down after several minutes and leaned their bikes unto the front of a building. Myf looked up at the sign and read "New Bradwell Veterinary Clinic." Sarah nudged her head towards the door and headed inside, Myfanwy following her right after. A woman at the reception desk greeted the both of them warmly, welcoming Sarah back. They went past a swinging door and entered a room full of cages and crates, each of them occupied by different animals, mostly dogs and cats, a few rabbits, and a fox or two. A veterinary tech said hi and introduced herself as Hannah to Myfanwy who showed them to another room. Inside, a bare room with a couple of chairs, and towels laid down on a corner. On the towels sat a bull terrier-mix dog with a large belly growling at all three of them. 

"We have named her Daisy! This beauty was found by the M1. We think she's almost due to give birth soon, but she won't let us near her to let us do a sonogram," Hannah said. Daisy continued to growl lowly in her corner. "There's a chance there may have been a history of abuse judging by her behavior. She seems to have a good response to food but she still won't let us near her. Do you think you can work your magic?" Hannah turned around and grabbed Sarah by the shoulders and squeezed them lightly. 

"I'll do my best," Sarah replied, patting Hannah's hand. Right after the tech left the room, she took off her jacket then paused. "I guess I should've asked if you were allergic to animals..."

"Unless they're treating a hive of bees, I should be fine," Myfanwy said, remembering the warning the nurse told her during her time in quarantine. 

"Hi mama! How are you?" Sarah cheered. She grabbed some treats from a jar nearby and tried to reach out her hand which was met by another growl. "This looks like it's going to be a while." She sits down on a towel, keeping some distance from the dog. 

"What are you doing, exactly?" Myf asked as she sits down on the floor next to her.

"Erm, trying to calm her down, I guess." Sarah made soft noises with a treat pinched between her fingers. "I've been coming here for a year or so if they have any animals that are a bit...difficult. Kind of started with a feral cat then it snowballed from there." 

Daisy was still defensive. Myf didn't attempt to coax her as well; the last thing she needed was to be bitten by a pregnant dog. Sarah seemed to be enjoying the process, exhibiting patience with every passing moment. Minutes pass by and eventually Daisy starts sniffing the treat in her hand, her small head, inching forward. The two girls stare with excitement at every movement made towards them. When Daisy finally stood up, the treat moved from the pinched fingers to Sarah's open palm, inviting the dog to come closer. 

"Come on, Daisy girl. You know you can trust us." Myfanwy's eyes went back and forth, enticed with the prospect of success. After several minutes, Daisy finally took the bait. She smelled the treat before licking it off Sarah's hand. Before Myf can even celebrate the moment, Sarah brushed her palm on the dog's lower jaw, which slowly moved down to her chest. With her other hand, she stroked the top of Daisy's head and closed her eyes; her breathing became more deliberate, slowly breathing in and out through her slightly closed mouth. 

Myfanwy watched as the dog's body changed from tense and defensive, to happy, wagging tail and all. _Touch-based biological systematic mirroring. An empath. _The reason for Sarah's volunteer work finally clicked in her head. She was watching her use her EVA for the first time and she was in awe. For the past month she had seen the other trainees in Glengrove punch and run their way through training exercises but this was the first time she had seen an ability being used in real life. _And for a good reason too. _When Sarah finally opened her eyes, she and Daisy started to cheerfully play with Myf joining in after a couple of licks in the face. 

Hannah walked in the room at some point during playtime. "Sarah, you're an absolute miracle worker!" she exclaimed. She puts a lead around Daisy's neck and walks her out of the room. Sarah looks at Myfanwy with a grin if she wants to play with some other animals (it was answered by an immediate "yes").

They wandered their way back into the room full of crates where Hannah pointed out a couple of rabbits that were found hopping about in the local church. Myfanwy picked one up--long haired with black and white patches--while Sarah took the other. They walked back to the sparse room, and sat back down on the floor while petting the small animals. 

"Sarah, that was incredible," Myf said to her roommate, impressed. "What you did...I can't even imagine what that's like."

Sarah let out a chuckle. "It was frightening at first, to be honest. I don't know when it first manifested but the first time I knew that something was _different_, it scared me out of my mind."

"How did you know?" 

Myf's gaze was avoided as Sarah's eyes went down towards the napping rabbit on her lap. "Erm, it's when my mum died."

Regret immediately filled Myf's gut. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize-" 

"No, nothing to be sorry about. I think it might have been that whole experience that triggered everything, actually," Sarah replied. She continued to pet the rabbit as she looked back at her, and sighed. "My dad died when I was a baby, so it was just me and my mum for basically my whole life. When she got sick...she was so strong, you know? She never wanted me to worry but every time I held her hand, I could feel how scared she really was..." Her voice trailed off. Myfanwy didn't know if she should do or say something at that moment; the last funeral she went to was her grandmother's. She remembered seeing her own mum being sad at the time but being that she was only four, the obligation of comforting someone upon the news of death wasn't something to be expected.

She felt a wave of relief when Sarah came back to the conversation. The curly-haired girl let out another sigh and licked her lips, "Pancreatic cancer. Everything went by so fast. Before we knew it, it was treatments, drugs, staying in the hospital for a day, then a week, then she never left. When she died I was..._devestated_. I wasn't just sad, I was angry, too." She tried to keep the tears down but a few still escaped her eyes. "I remember just absolutely wailing like mad. I didn't notice it at the time but whenever someone would touch me or grab me, they started crying too. People tried to console me, and all I could feel was how much they pitied me, or lied to me. The social worker assigned to me, she was suspicious. I still don't know if it was her who tipped me off to the Checquy but one day Linda showed up in my life and ever since then, I've been here." 

A smile formed on Sarah's face as she moved closer to Myfanwy. Looking her right in the eye she said, "I know it's scary. I know you're scared...and angry. I understand better than most can. Kate understands, so does Lucas, and Gestalt. There are still days where I wish I can go back to Cornwall and go walk by the sea with my mum, or days where I wonder what kind of life I would live if I didn't have an EVA. But I'm here now, and I decided at some point that I needed to actually live my life, instead of just wishing it." 

Those words echoed in Myfanwy's head. Even as they left the clinic and walked their bikes down the village streets, she kept thinking about Sarah's story and her ability. She had seen a creature lose their fear at her touch, and even Myf's own fears were minimized during that first day. She looked at one of her hands and made a fist--she needs to stop being scared of this power, of this life. 

The rest of the afternoon went quite normal and boring, which after spending a month of training exercises was a welcome change. The girls stopped for an ice cream cone then to a music store. Myfanwy got a bit excited and talked to Sarah about how her father has an extensive vinyl collection. 

"Here," Sarah said, taking a twenty pound note from her pocket and handing it to her. "Buy some." 

"What? No, I don't want to take your money."

"Oh please. You'll pay me back one day. One of the best things about the Checquy: they pay you to train you." Myfanwy took the money with a bit of guilt. "Besides, think of it as buying some records to expand my horizons. Educate me!" 

Myf picked out some classics, "A foundation, if you will," she called it. The Beatles, Elvis, Queen, and Aretha Franklin--she decided that popular music was the best place to start, then eventually they could make their way through to jazz, new wave, and even disco. They worked out the logistics of using the record player in the common room and figured out when it was the best time to play their music (it was after Blumen had her dinner on weekdays when she was least likely cranky, and the middle of the day on weekends). Sarah seemed genuinely thrilled, even doing a dance as the store clerk placed the records in a bag. 

"Thank you," Myfanwy said as she hung the bag on her bike handles. 

"For what?" Sarah asked.

"For today. I guess I didn't realize how much I needed a day like today. Thanks, anyway."

"Anytime," Sarah flashed a smile. "If you ever need to pet a rabbit as stress relief, let me know. I'm your girl." 

They hopped on their bikes and rode back to Glengrove.

_ 2008 _

"I need you to come with me," Alex said while out of breath. Sarah looked up from her laptop to see her old friend trying to compose themself after running into the meeting room she had holed herself in.

"What for?" she asked, confused. She wasn't supposed to be in Apex House that day but Grantchester had called her in for a meeting to talk about her "future." She took the opportunity to catch up on some reading for university while waiting to see him. She had a quick conversation with Gestalt earlier that day, who had been splitting their time between London and Glengrove, just like she has been for the past couple of years.

"It's Myfanwy. And Farrier." Alex reached over the table and grabbed her hand. They pulled her off of her seat and ran up the stairs to the King's office. Within the first second of her hand being grabbed, her heart raced and a sinking feeling formed in her gut. _Panic. They're panicked._ She put more force with every time her foot hit the ground. She tried to go up stairs quickly without tripping, running down the old corridors with no regard to the different people in it. 

The velocity from her run caused Sarah to almost crash into the door frame in Farrier's office. Her eyes immediately saw Linda standing off on one side of the room with Eliza, both looking a bit frightened. Her eyes then moved to the other side, where Myfanwy is trying to get out of Teddy and Robert's grasp. Sarah could hear the lights buzzing and see the television screens flickering; this was it, this was her EVA. 

She ran towards Myfanwy and place her hands on each side of her face. She forced her to look at her straight in the eye as Sarah's own blood pressure rose and the electricity from her body try to escape through her fingers. She took a moment to try to understand what her former roommate was feeling, beyond the physical things that was happening to her. A lump started to form in her throat and the tears behind her eyes weren't just from anger. Sarah knew this feeling: it was devastation. 

She held her gaze into her eyes and firmly kept cupping her face into her hands. "Myf? Myf listen to me," she whispered. "I need you to let go. _Let. Go." _Sarah slowed her pulse down, lowered her blood pressure, and eased her breathing. Together, they took a deep breath which started to get jagged as their lungs filled up with air. Breathing out, a small cry came out of Myfanwy which then started a domino effect; the lump in her throat became bigger, the tears started to flow down her face, and the small cry became a bawl. 

Sarah's own tears dripped down to the carpet. Myfanwy started to lean forward, instinctively going down to the floor. As Teddy and Robert let her go, her arms reached towards Sarah's hips. The empath moved her hands from her cheeks to the back of her head, as the two began to embrace each other. Myfanwy buried her head into her friend's chest, sobbing into it. They sit down on the floor together, crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let Go is a song by Frou Frou


	7. Seventeen

_ 2004 _

Eliza squinted their eyes in suspicion as they watched Kate and Sarah have a whisper argument in the hallway right outside of their rooms. 

"Why?!"

"Because we're all friends, that's why!"

"I think _friends_ is a really strong term to use!"

"Kate! You promised you would be nicer now that they're back! You promised Wattleman and Farrier!" Kate pouted, and Eliza could've sworn she let out a small growl too. 

"Fine!" Kate whispered. Seeing her starting to make her way into their room, Eliza quickly tried to make themself look unsuspiciously busy by organizing their books on their nightstand. "Oy, Gestalt! Sleepover! Tonight!"

Eliza turned around with a genuine surprised look on their face, "Sorry?"

Kate rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance. "It's Friday night and Blumen's gone until tomorrow so we're having a sleepover. You in or what?"

Sarah leaned over to her side and waved from a few feet behind Kate. She waved and gave a pleading look, then clapped her hands into a prayer position. "Erm...sure?" Eliza replied. "Should I-?"

"No!" Kate cut her off. "Just you. Not the other..." her hands start making a circular motion several feet over the floor, like she's waxing the roof of a small, invisible car, "...yous. Don't make this weird, we're not there yet." She starts to walk away, clearly mulling the decision to include her roommate. "So I guess, er, get in some pajamas or something."

She walked back to Sarah and Eliza can hear her say, "Don't make me regret this." She takes a deep breath before heading next door. "Thomas! Sleepover!" 

The event announcement has definitely caught them off-guard. A sleepover has never been something Gestalt has ever been invited to--any of them. _Pajamas? Are sleepover pajamas different from the ones I usually wear? _They looked over their wardrobe: their clothes are plain and simple mostly, but there were the untouched "gifts" that Wattleman had given them. They rummaged through the boxes and eventually opened one containing blush colored silk pajamas. The outfit--a button down with short sleeves and white piping paired with matching pants--felt so _un-them_. The mirror reflected back an entirely new image of Eliza, one that even Gestalt can describe as "girly" or "pretty." They ran their fingers through their long hair and stared; their journey to individuality amongst themself was finally making headway. _Maybe I should open the rest of the boxes to keep busy while I'm at this sleepover. _

Eliza walked next door. Sarah's face lit up at the sight of them. "Hey! Nice pajamas!" 

"Thanks," Eliza replied. "Erm, it's new." 

"They _are_ nice, Gestalt. I like it," Kate said as she stepped closer to them, looking at Eliza from the top down. "But no time to admire this now--Rodgers, we gotta go." She looked at Sarah and jerked her head to the side. 

"You're leaving?" they asked. It was suspicious to be lured somewhere by someone only for the host to disappear. Teddy paused, waiting to see if they need to run down the hall. 

Sarah got closer to them and squeezed their forearm lightly. "We'll be right back. We're going to get supplies, okay?" she said with a smile, her big brown eyes gazing down theirs. They nodded. "Great. Why don't you keep Myfanwy company while waiting? Make yourself at home." 

They looked past Sarah to see her roommate sitting on her bed. They waved hello to each other without saying a word. Awkward. The other two girls left with a backpack each, promising a quick return. The two remaining trainees looked at each other in silence. Gestalt fought the instinct to leave, to lock themselves up in their room away from everyone else. _Remember what they said? I need to learn how to socialize, to be able to blend in with the crowd. _Eliza stretched out her hands that are by their sides and held her breath in their lungs for a few seconds; they desperately looked around the room, trying to find something to start a conversation with. 

They looked back to Myfanwy who was sitting on her bed, rubbing her shoulders for relief. "Sore?" Eliza asked. Myf nodded in response. "Don't worry you'll get used to it. The soreness will get more familiar over time." She laughed; the start of the conversation seems to be going well. 

Gestalt decides to keep it going. Eliza sits on Sarah's bed, facing Myfanwy. "Your punches were good but you have to remember to keep your hands up. Protect your face. I can show you next time." 

She let out another laugh. "Sure," Myfanwy said as she continued rubbing and squeezing her shoulders. Seeing her tend to her sore muscles made Alex press their fingers along the back of their neck, feeling out every vertebrae. They roll their head around to stretch with Eliza doing the same reflexively. "You too then, I guess?" Myf asks.

"Hm, yeah. Lee was a bit more brutal today than usual. He's a bit mad when it comes to physical training but he's pretty cool when he's off the field."

"Really? Wouldn't have figured you as someone to know him well enough off the field."

"Ha. Been here long enough."

Myf leaned in with squinting, concentrating eyes. "How long _have_ you been here for?"

Eliza took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, as if they had written the answers above their heads. "Let's see...Linda found us when we were four. It took a few months to get us from Dresden to here and we were about five when we moved in. So...twelve years? Thirteen almost?"

A look of shock and amazement took over their companion's face. "Wow. That long? And I thought two months was tough. Can I ask, how often do you and your brothers see your family? Your parents?"

Gestalt cleared their throat and shook their head. "Our mother gave us up to this strange woman when we were really young. She smuggled us from Poland to Germany and then dropped us off at this orphanage. We don't even remember our father." 

Myfanwy covered her lips with her fingertips. "Oh, I've really put my foot in it." 

"No, it's fine-"

"No, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize." Myf reached out but the sudden movement caused for Gestalt to flinch their hand back. She stopped herself from holding their hand but continued with her apology, "I'm so, so sorry."

"Really, I don't care," Eliza reassured her with a smile. "It was a long time ago and I barely even remember. I can't miss something I never had..." They looked at Myfanwy, whose face is full of worry. _Shit. That's the last thing I need. I have to do something, change the subject! _"So, er, I've never actually been to a sleepover before--what exactly happens in one?"

It took a couple of moments before Myfanwy answered. Gestalt could see the anxiety that had built up slowly disappearing. "Never?" Eliza shook their head. "Er, I guess it's just hanging out with your friends except you get to stay up late and have a lot of sweets. I guess it's much more alluring when you're a kid but it's still fun. Oh! And don't believe those movies with the girls all scantily clad and stuff. It's disgusting and highly inaccurate. Even with my friends back home, the most we ever did is get drunk."

_Movies? Scantily clad? I'll just ask later._

"Drunk? Who would ever think about getting drunk at a sleepover?" Sarah's voice came in a loud whisper as she reentered her room, Kate following behind her, closing the door. All four trainees were delighted by their reunion. Sarah opened a bag pulled out a re-corked bottle of red wine, bottles of Coca-Cola, a few packets of potato chips, and boxes of cookies. "Some merlot courtesy of Queen Linda Farrier."

Gestalt was impressed. Kate was someone they could see sneaking out into the kitchens but not for Sarah. She always seemed to have been a rule-follower, quiet and unassuming. They've known her a few years now but they've never really talked to her either..._It's time for that to change._

Kate sets down some glasses and then takes a Jaffa cake and sticks a small candle on it. Myfanwy gasps and heartily says, "Oh no! Don't say that's for me!" Kate takes a silver lighter out of her pocket and lights the candle. 

"Uh huh. Don't think you can just let your birthday slip by and for us not to do anything about it, do you? Come on, for this brief moment we'll all be seventeen years old. Next thing you know, we'll all be just a bunch of old miserable Checquy agents."

"Well, I don't know about 'miserable' but 'agents,' yes," Sarah added. She and Kate took the Jaffa cake closer to the birthday girl. "Make a wish."

Myfanwy closed her eyes before blowing out the small candle. The girls split up the contraband, except for Kate who refused the wine ("Just cokes for me!"). The first sip of merlot made the back of Eliza's jaw tingle. Their time away from Glengrove put them in places where wine was not the drink of choice. Alex and Teddy often found themselves in pubs drinking beer while Robert and Eliza grew to love champagne and whiskey. They were still getting used to wine, which was often served with dinner, not with snacks.

The alcohol with the treats lessened whatever tension had been lingering before and Gestalt found themself actually having a good time. Despite being part of the conversation, Eliza observed with great care--these were three very different girls but all were feminine in a way, all different from Farrier and other adult women they've been with during their life. 

"I think Lucas really likes you, Sarah. I think you should go for it," Myf said as she cheekily smiled. 

"Not you too! Look, I'm in the middle of studying for my A-Levels and I can't think about that!" Sarah blushed as she took another sip of wine.

Kate stuffed a chocolate covered digestive into her mouth. "Just go out with him. Maybe he'll stop being a cheeseball trying to get your attention," she said as small crumbs start flying out as she's speaking. Robert looked over to their roommate, who was lying on his bed, listening to music on his headphones. They made a mental note to investigate to see what's going on between him and Sarah. 

Myf leaned in close to Eliza's face, her cheeks have become flushed over the two glasses of wine they've had. "Weird question: May I touch your hair?" They laughed. That was a question they've never been asked before. 

"Sure." 

Myfanwy immediately moves her whole body close to Eliza and carefully starts running her fingers through their white-blonde hair. The sensation was absolutely relaxing. "Beautiful. And this is your natural hair color?" They nodded; the comfort and the wine was starting to take effect. It was approaching midnight and Gestalt decided that if Eliza were still to stay up for some time, the rest of them would take their eased state and go to bed to rest. 

Myfanwy leaned in again, this time with Eliza gazing back into her eyes. She was close enough for them to feel her warmth, take note of her freckles, to get lost into her blue-green eyes, even if it were for a second. "Another question," she asked quietly. Eliza nodded without thought. "Can I...braid it?" Another new request. A slight shock came over them. They agreed, not really knowing what to expect.

"Don't worry, Eliza. I'll do it real nice. I'll braid it into a crown."

"A crown? Seems complicated."

Eliza stay sat on the floor as Myfanwy stood up and then moved to sit on her bed. "Yeah! A braid crown. My sister and I had a fairy phase several years back. I got quite good at this." They smiled as their hair got plaited around their head. It was so different from when their Glengrove matron first groomed then. If it was as pleasant as this, Gestalt would've let someone braid their hair more often.

Kate stood up, demanding everyone's attention. "I have a very important question! Myfanwy, please continue your, er, craft. But nevertheless, I need everyone to be completely serious about-" She belched _loudly._

"That is _disgusting_!" Sarah squealed. 

"No! No! I do have an important question!" Kate continued through laughter. 

"Well, what is it?!"

Kate cleared her throat and straightened her posture. "What would you do...if tomorrow...a zombie apocalypse broke out?"

Strangely enough, that question started off a debate that went on until three in the morning.

***

"We need you to _socialize,_" Linda sternly said. Gestalt looked down on the floor while looking at both Wattleman and Farrier at the same time. "Look, you've already proven to us that all of you are capable of living apart, at doing different tasks at the same time, but the reason we brought you back to Glengrove House-"

"To finish training?" Teddy interjected. 

"Yes. But it was also to let you reacquaint with the other trainees." Gestalt can see the concern in her eyes. They knew this, deep inside; they knew that their years of isolation, as much as it was an act of isolation, was of concern to the Court.

Henry joined in, "Do you remember _why_ we gave you your names?" He walked back and forth, cup of tea in hand. Gestalt shook their head. "We named you after members of my family: Eliza, after my mother; Robert, after my grandfather; Teddy and Alex, after my older brothers. We named you such because we wanted you to know that you are part of _our_ family."

Family. That word echoed in their head. Efforts had been made, of course, for years since they first arrived. However, they often find that people tend to stay away due to their EVA or at least for trainees around their age, their need to be the best has made competitors out of them instead of friends. 

Farrier continued the conversation, "The people in Glengrove...they will work with you in the Checquy one day. Perhaps, even be _lead_ by you further in the future." She took one of their hands and both of her around it. "They need to be able to work with you, trust you, and more importantly for you to trust them. Believe me when we say that we are not doing this to torture you. Think of it as another task, a goal. One that would benefit you in years to come."

"Well how about that young girl from this morning? The one that just left. Tiffany? No, Myfanwy! She just came in yesterday, same day that you came back. Why don't you start off with her? She doesn't know you yet so you can start off with a blank slate," Henry said, practically bouncing from the idea.

Gestalt thought of the impression they've given Myfanwy that morning and the day before. Blank slate? Not quite. This was going to be difficult.

_ 2009 _

Kate and Lucas tilted their head to the side in confusion. "I guess it works...?" Lucas commented with doubt in his tone. 

"But it seems...excessive..." Kate added. Kate turned and repeated her sentiment. "Gestalt! This is too much!"

Alex smirked as they put down a box of their belongings. "Last time I checked, Fairchild, this was _my_ new flat and I could do whatever I want with it." 

"Yeah, but TWO king-sized beds?! Together?!" her arms gesturing grandly. 

Sarah scoffed as she opened another box. "Kate, a hand? Please, we're nearly done." The blonde let out a barely audible whine as she stomped her way to where her friend was. 

"But I'm tired," she moaned. "It's not my fault that Gestalt decided to move in the middle of summer. It's hot! And I'm hungry!"

Lucas added on, "And apparently cranky." He and Teddy straightened out the heavy mattresses unto the bespoke bed frame. 

"I guess you and Sarah will be well trained once you two decide to have kids," Teddy joked. "You've been taking care of Kate for years now. A toddler will be no problem." 

From the kitchen, Myfanwy raised a handful of folded sheets of colorful paper in her hand. "The sooner we get done, the sooner we can get some take-away for dinner." 

Kate narrowed her eyes with determination. "Give me a box. Those clothes will be unpacked in no time. Though I do warn you, if I see one pair of underpants, I'm done. That's it." Everyone chuckled at her response.

"Good job," Robert whispered as they are putting away the dinnerware into the cabinets. Eliza looked over the menus that were now splayed over the kitchen counter.

"What should we get?" they asked. Their stomachs had started to feel that pang of hunger, and they _have_ been carrying heavy boxes all day.

"Oh, I'm thinking a bit of everything," Myf replied. "It's always good to have options." 

With Kate's new sense of motivation, they found themselves done unpacking and eating within an hour and a half. Myfanwy ended up ordering curry, Chinese, and some dodgy pizza, all of which were being inhaled by all of the flat's occupants. By the end of their meal, the friends have entered a state of satiated bliss. 

"Your first real London flat, mate. Congrats." Lucas tapped his bottle of lager with Alex's.

"Yeah, not owned by the Checquy or anyone in the Court...Fuck me, the rent is expensive. But it's nice, yeah?" They both laughed and nodded. 

Kate poured herself another glass of water as Teddy, Myf, and Robert start to clean up. On the other side of the apartment, Eliza gently stroked the head of a white-colored stuffed rabbit before placing it on a shelf while Sarah straightened out the sofa cushions. 

"This was nice," Eliza commented as they walked back to the crowd. 

"Just like old times, yeah?" Sarah said. 

"And to think you were going to do this yourself," Myfanwy nudged her elbow to Robert's side and gave them a wink. 

Kate rubbed her belly with great satisfaction. "Considering that I was repaid in a meal, I consider this day to be a success." She looked down at her watch and sighed, "Though it is late now. Don't know if we'll make the last train back to Glengrove." 

Teddy looked at their friends with a sudden idea in their head. "So why don't you stay? All of you?" 

"What?" Sarah asked. "No, we can't impose." 

"No, really," Robert replied. "My sleeping bags are just over in that closet right there, it'd be no trouble at all." Their friends came around the suggestion in no time.

"Sleepover like we're seventeen again? Brilliant," Kate said. Her eyes widened suddenly. "Can we all lie down on the bed? _PLEASE,_" she started to plead.

Lucas nearly choked. "There's no way all eight of us can fit on that bed. Nope."

Kate raised an eyebrow, "You wanna bet, Munro?" He shook her hand in agreement, five quid at stake. "All right everyone! On the bed!"

All of them rushed over to the oversized bed, giggling on their way there. Surprisingly, they did all fit on the bed albeit not necessarily comfortably. This caused some of them, namely Teddy, Alex, Myfanwy, and Sarah, to turn to their side to prevent their shoulders from poking each other. Teddy pushed some of Myf's hair away from her face, both laughing at the silliness of it all.

"Munro, you owe me five pounds!" Kate exclaimed as she punched the air. "Sure this whole bed situation is a bit too much but I do have to say, Gestalt, this mattress is _nice."_ She did a bit of a wiggle, trying to test out the firmness in the little real estate she had.

The group took in the moment, each one of them leaning on the other or holding another's hand. Myfanwy had Eliza's head leaning unto the back of her neck while simultaneously cupping her hand with Teddy's. Gestalt felt their friends' warmth and genuinely felt grateful to even be in a situation where they had friends to do this with. _Gives new meaning to the word 'housewarming.'_

Kate suddenly lifted her head. "Something just occurred to me, and this is incredibly serious." 

"What is it?"' Sarah asked, worried.

Kate took a deep breath, "What would you do if aliens landed on Earth tomorrow?"

Someone immediately chucked a pillow at her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Seventeen" is a song by Alessia Cara. Also a song by Troye Sivan but that song isn't relevant to what's happening in this chapter.
> 
> The color of Myfanwy's eyes are a guess. Let a girl know if she's wrong.

**Author's Note:**

> **Title is based off of Sara Bareilles' song from the album, Amidst the Chaos. The song is meant for something a bit more for a real world issue but I thought the lyrics rang true to the characters' shared loneliness.


End file.
